This Soft Pesto Focaccia Bread is a delicious twist on the fluffy, airy texture of classic focaccia with the vibrant, herby flavors of fresh basil pesto. Perfect for serving as an appetizer, side dish, or even a sandwich base, this homemade focaccia bread will quickly become a favorite in your home.
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Making Pesto Focaccia Bread at home is a rewarding and delicious experience. With its tender crumb, rich olive oil flavor, and vibrant pesto topping, this focaccia bread is sure to become a staple in your home.
This easy focaccia bread recipe has a loose wet dough that will give you a soft and fluffy focaccia.
For more focaccia recipes, check out this Classic Focaccia Bread, this Soft Potato Rosemary Focaccia Bread and this Onion Focaccia Bread.
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🧾 Ingredients
To make the perfect Soft Pesto Focaccia Bread, you'll need the following ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of our focaccia, providing structure and a soft crumb. For a chewier texture, you can use bread flour instead.
- Warm Water: Key for hydrating the dough and activating the yeast. Make sure the water is warm, not hot, to encourage the yeast to ferment properly.
- Instant Yeast: This leavening agent helps the bread rise and gives it its characteristic airy texture. Active Dry yeast can be used as a direct substitute.
- Sugar: Feeds the yeast and enhances the bread's flavor without making it sweet.
- Salt: Essential for flavor. Sea salt or kosher salt works best for a more nuanced taste.
- Olive Oil: Adds richness and keeps the bread moist. A high-quality extra virgin olive oil will impart the best flavor.
- Fresh Pesto: The star of the show, pesto adds a burst of herby, garlicky flavor. Homemade or store-bought works, but homemade pesto with fresh basil will give the best results.
- Pine Nuts (optional): Adds a crunchy finish and enhances the pesto's flavors.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍳 Substitutions
If you need to adjust the recipe based on what you have on hand or dietary preferences, here are some possible substitutions:
- Gluten-Free Flour: Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make a gluten-free version of this focaccia.
- Instant Yeast: You can substitute instant yeast with an equal amount of active dry yeast, but you'll need to activate it in water first.
- Whole Wheat Flour: For a healthier version, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Note that this will result in a denser texture.
- Vegan Pesto: If you're following a vegan diet, make sure your pesto is dairy-free by using nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese.
- Herbed Olive Oil: If you don't have pesto, you can use a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic, and your favorite herbs (like rosemary or thyme) as a substitute for a similar flavor profile.
🥣 Variations
Once you've mastered the basic focaccia recipe, you can experiment with these variations:
- Cheesy Pesto Focaccia: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese over the dough before baking for a cheesy twist.
- Fresh Tomatoes and Pesto Focaccia: Add halved cherry tomatoes on top of the pesto before baking for a fresh, juicy addition.
- Olive and Pesto Focaccia: Incorporate sliced black or green olives into the dough or as a topping for a Mediterranean flavor.
- Lemon Pesto Focaccia: Use lemon basil pesto instead of regular pesto and sprinkle lemon zest over the pesto for a double zing.
- Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto Focaccia: Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the dough or sprinkle them on top for a sweet, tangy flavor.
📋 Instructions with Photos
Step 1. In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Slowly add the lukewarm water and mix well for a few minutes.
Step 2. Let it rise, covered with cling film, in a warm spot for about 2 hours.
Step 3. Oil a baking sheet and transfer the focaccia dough, spread it with your fingers.
Step 4. Spread ⅔ of the basil pesto on the surface, then fold the dough in half. Spread it again with your fingers into a rectangle.
Step 3. Spread the remaining pesto sauce on top of the dough and punch holes down with your fingers. Cover, and let it second rise another 30 minutes.
Step 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until you have a crispy golden crust.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Soft Pesto Focaccia Bread is incredibly versatile and can be served in many ways. Cut it into squares and serve it warm as an appetizer with a side of marinara or olive oil for dipping. It also makes an excellent side for soups, salads, or pasta dishes. Alternatively, slice it horizontally and use it as the base for a sandwich filled with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and arugula. This bread is also perfect for soaking up sauces or as a side for grilled meats and vegetables.
🔪 Equipment
To make this Pesto Focaccia Bread, you'll need the following equipment:
- Mixing Bowls: A large bowl for mixing and rising the dough.
- Wooden Spoon or Dough Scraper: For mixing the dough.
- Baking Pan (10x15 inches): A standard baking pan will help the focaccia bake evenly and give it the perfect thickness.
❄️ Storage & Reheating
Storage: Once your focaccia has cooled completely, it can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 days. If you need to keep it for longer, I recommend freezing it.
Freezing: To freeze focaccia, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, or place it in a zip-top freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to 6 months. To use, thaw it at room temperature or in the microwave.
Reheating: To enjoy focaccia that tastes freshly baked, reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds. For a quick fix, you can also reheat individual slices in a toaster or toaster oven.
💭 Recipe FAQs
If your focaccia isn't rising, it could be due to inactive yeast, water that's too hot or cold, or a drafty environment. Make sure your yeast is fresh, use warm (not hot) water, and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area.
Yes! You can prepare the dough and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. This slow fermentation will develop more complex flavors. Just bring the dough back to room temperature before baking.
To create the signature dimples in focaccia, press your fingers into the dough after the final rise. The dimples help hold the toppings and give the bread its distinctive look.
Absolutely! Divide the dough into smaller portions and shape them into rolls before baking. Adjust the baking time accordingly, usually around 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the rolls.
⭐ Top tip
For the fluffiest focaccia, ensure your dough is well-hydrated and allow it to rise fully. The high hydration level (the ratio of water to flour) is key to achieving that soft, airy crumb that makes focaccia so delicious. Don't rush the rising process-let the dough take its time, and you'll be rewarded with a perfectly pillowy focaccia.
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📖 RECIPE
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the sifted flour in a large bowl and mix it with the dry yeast. With your hands make a hole in the middle and add the 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 6 tablespoon of oil.
- Mix with a fork and slowly add the warm water, a little bit at a time.
- When the ingredients are uniformly mixed, cover the bowl with a damp cloth or cling film, and set it aside in a warm place to raise for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Oil a 10x15 inches baking sheet and pour the Focaccia dough in it. Stretch it with your hands into a rectangle.
- Spread ⅔ of the basil pesto on the dough, then fold it in half and stretch it again into a nice rectangle with uniform thickness.
- Spread the remaining pesto on top, covering the whole surface of the dough. Press your fingers punching holes into the dough to get the classic focaccia dimples.
- Cover and set it in a warm place to raise again for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven.
- You can sprinkle some pine nuts on top for extra crunch.
- Bake at 200°C / 390°F or 20-25 minutes in the middle to lower rack or until golden on top.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Notes
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Renè says
I love pesto on everything so I had to try it! It turned out better than I had imagined. 😀
Jessica Montanelli says
Thank you Renè! I'm happy you enjoyed it!